Experts warn AI over-reliance may atrophy human creativity, critical thinking and memory
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 6
Experts warn AI over-reliance may atrophy human creativity, critical thinking and memory
11 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 6
US researchers from Georgetown, Texas, Carnegie Mellon and elsewhere said emerging studies link heavy chatbot use to weaker critical thinking, memory retention, attention and originality.
A meta-analysis of 57 studies covering more than 411,000 adults found no broader “digital dementia”, but experts said AI can still encourage “cognitive surrender” and reduce the mental effort needed for learning.
They advised using AI to challenge or refine ideas rather than replace thinking, adding friction through note-taking, problem-solving and drafting independently first to preserve human creativity and judgment.
As AI can diagnose cognitive decline and also cause it, how do we manage this paradox for our future brain health?
In an age of instant AI answers, what is the ultimate value of deep, effortful human knowledge?
Cognitive Atrophy in the AI Era: New Research Reveals Declines in Thinking, Memory, and Originality
Overview
Recent studies from 2025-2026 reveal that over-reliance on AI leads to a clear decline in critical thinking, memory, and creativity. This happens because people offload mental effort to AI, weakening brain pathways and reducing neuroplasticity. Younger users are especially vulnerable as AI use in education encourages bypassing essential learning struggles, resulting in uncritical acceptance of AI outputs. Trust in AI also fosters metacognitive laziness, where users stop questioning AI suggestions, further eroding independent judgment. These effects extend to professionals and society, causing creativity to homogenize and decision-making skills to weaken. Without mindful engagement and better AI design, these trends risk long-term cognitive and societal harm.